Seven Serpents is designed to expose weaknesses. Over 1,000 kilometres of unsupported gravel racing, Posedla riders Ondra Sobek and Zuzana Boháčová faced illness, sleep deprivation, crashes and even a fractured shoulder. Through it all, Joytape bar tape delivered exactly what it was built for: reliable grip, lasting comfort and one less thing to think about.
Joytape Tested at Seven Serpents: 1,000 km of Gravel Racing Proof
When Posedla riders Ondra Sobek and Zuzana Boháčová lined up for Seven Serpents 2025, they knew they were signing up for one of Europe's most demanding and unpredictable unsupported gravel races. The 2026 anniversary edition stretched across 1,000 kilometres, crossed the islands of Pag, Rab and Krk, climbed the Velebit mountains and included five ferry crossings along the way. The route was built to expose weaknesses - in riders and in equipment.
Having finished 3rd and 4th overall last year, both returned because Seven Serpents is unlike any other ultra.
Part of its appeal is exactly that unpredictability. As Zuzana says:
"I love the ferry game. Besides sleep and planning food and water stops, it's another variable you have to account for. It can help you, but it can also completely change your race."
Add the moon-like landscape of Pag, the pine forests of Rab, the rocky terrain of Krk and the dramatic mountains rising directly from the Adriatic, and you have a race that's as beautiful as it is brutal.
When the Ride Stops Being Comfortable
For Ondra, the challenge started before the race even began. He arrived in Slovenia sick and slept barely two hours before the start, spending much of the race questioning whether he would even continue. Yet after more than 80 hours on the bike, he still crossed the finish line in an impressive 5th place overall.
Zuzana's race took an even more dramatic turn. At around kilometre 850 on the island of Cres, at two in the morning, a sheep ran directly in front of her bike. She crashed and later discovered she had fractured her shoulder, yet still rode the final 163 kilometres to the finish as the 1st woman in the race.
Zuzana said:
"The hardest moment wasn't immediately after the crash. It was the next morning. Everything finally caught up with me and I called my parents crying. They helped put me back together mentally and gave me the strength to keep going."
When Grip Matters More Than Speed
The longer the ride, the more important your contact points become.
After two days on the bike, comfort is no longer a luxury. It becomes part of your performance. Every vibration travels through your hands. Every hour spent on the bars adds another layer of fatigue, making grip and control increasingly important.
That's exactly why Joytape was developed. Its combination of vibration damping, secure grip and long-distance comfort helps riders stay in control when fatigue, lack of sleep and reduced concentration start taking their toll.
As Ondra told us after the race:
"There are countless moments during an 80-hour race that are right on the edge. That's where grip and hand comfort can make the difference between continuing and picking yourself up off the ground."
Through illness, sleep deprivation and hours of racing on the edge, his bar tape became one less thing demanding attention.
And When Sitting Becomes the Real Challenge
Ultra-distance racing doesn't hurt your legs nearly as much as people think. It's your neck, lower back, hands, feet and, inevitably, your saddle contact points that eventually decide how much you can endure. That's why Zuzana pays close attention to the details that protect comfort over long distances, from carrying a second pair of bib shorts to regularly reapplying chamois cream and planning her stops in advance.
This year, one thing stood out more than anything else.
As Zuzana said:
"For the first time in an ultra race, I could sit comfortably the entire way. My soft tissues were sore, of course, but my sit bones were completely fine."
In a race where so many variables are outside your control, Joyseat became one less thing to worry about. Because after 1,000 kilometres, five ferries and more than 80 hours in the saddle, both riders had plenty of things to think about. Their contact points weren't among them.
After 1,000 kilometres, five ferries and more than 80 hours on the bike, the last thing you should worry about is your grip. Discover Joytape.
